NEW DELHI: Anar Patel’s business partner Dakshesh Shah, who owns Wildwoods Resorts, has issued a statement saying the land which was allotted in 2010 is now priced at Rs 18 per sqm even as the main opposition has reiterated its demand that CM Anandiben Patel should quit in the wake of the charges that her daughter’s associates was allotted land near the Gir sanctuary for a pittance.

Dakshesh has claimed that the land which was allotted at Rs 16.980 per sqm in 2010 is now priced at Rs 18 per sqm. He further said the land was bought by Dubai-based businessman Sanjay Dhanak and his partner Harshad Mehta in 2010 from the state government.

“Congress claim of high value of land is baseless,” Shah said, adding that “no permission was granted by the government of Gujarat after acquisition of stake by me.” He has further clarified his company is trying to obtain clearance from the Centre to make WWR functional.

Earlier, Anar put out a facebook post stating that she is neither a director nor a shareholder in Wildwood Resort and Realties or Anil Infraplus or Parshvatexchem -the three companies accused of involvement in the land deal. Shah too has clarified this.

These companies had bought 245 acres near Gir sanctuary for Rs 15 per square metre or Rs 1.50 Crore. In a press release, the Congress has claimed that land in that area was priced at Rs 50 lakh per acre.

Congress has also contested Shah’s claim that Sanjay Dhanak, a Dubai based businessman who conceived of this project and was the original buyer, is the son of a former Congress MLA.